Lind's Long Lost Love
by J4RRE77
Summary: A love story for my favorite Oh! My Goddess character.
1. Lind's Deepest and Most Painful Memories

Lind's Fondest and Most Painful Memories

"Lind," A deep voice called out. "I want you to come here at once."

Lind, hearing the voice of the Almighty One, immediately went to his chamber and knelt down. She wondered why she had been summoned considering that there were no battles on Earth that required someone of her caliber.

"That's not why I have asked you to come." the Almighty One spoke reading her mind.

"Then why have you summoned me my lord?" Lind asked.

"It has occurred to me that you have been fighting many battles as of late," the Almighty One answered. "Now while you may be a Goddess, you still need time to relax. Besides you have earned a long vacation."

"A long vacation?" Lind asked. "But my lord, what if demons should attack again in my absense?"

"While you are the strongest, you are not the only Valkyrie in heaven, Lind." The Almighty One reminded her. "I am sure that the others can handle things for the time being. For now, I want you to go spend a few months with Belldandy and her sisters."

Lind was confused as to why the Almighty One would give her a few months off, but knew not to question his judgement when his mind was made up. So she gathered her things and went to Yggdrasil to contact Belldandy.

RING-RING! RING-RING!

"I'll get it!" Belldandy called out. She picked up the phone in the entryway. And the others shortly came in. "Hello? Hmm? Oh, hello there Lind! It's certainly been awhile. Hmm? Yes? What? The Almighty One gave you a few months off?"

"He WHAT?" Urd cried out.

"But that's impossible!" Skuld seconded.

"Hmm? Oh, yes of course!" Belldandy smiled. "Of course we'd love to have you over for a while! Just make your way here whenever. Good-bye!" And she hung up the phone. Urd looked in amazement.

"Wow, I wonder why the Almighty One would give his number one warrior so much time off?" She asked.

"I don't know, but Lind will be here shortly." Belldandy said. "We'd better get ready for her."

"Yes, you're right." Urd replied.

"Ohhh! I can't wait to show Lind the new spells I've been practicing!" Skuld gushed excitedly.

"Lind is too sophisticated to deal with such childish techniques." Urd grumbled.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Skuld flared. "I'll have you know Urd, that my powers are on the verge of earning me recognition as being as powerful as Big Sis!"

"Hmph! Too bad your chest still is nowhere near as powerful as Belldandy's." Urd smirked.

"Why you..." Skuld cried out. "I'll show you someday!"

"Someday perhaps." Urd agreed. "Two thousand years from now."

While the two of them continued arguing, Belldandy looked around.

"Hey wait!" She cried out interrupting the argument. "Where's Keiichi?"

"He went out to get some ice-cream for the kid." Urd answered.

"Urd...how many time do I have to tell you not to call me a KID!"

"Hey everyone, I'm home!" A familiar voice called out.

Belldany gasped. "Keiichi!" She ran outside and greeted Keiichi with a big hug. This time though, Skuld was too busy arguing with Urd to notice. Keiichi was glad for that.

"Hello Belldandy, you really are excited today." Keiichi said.

"Keiichi, there's something we need to discuss."

"WHAT!?" Keiichi's voice sounded out. "You're kidding! The Almighty One gave Lind a few months off? And she's staying with us?"

The group had gathered in the dining room after Keiichi got home where Belldandy told him the news.

"Yes." Belldandy replied. "I told her she could come even though you weren't around Keiichi. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, no not at all." Keiichi replied holding his hands up. "It seems this place is blessed with the presence of Goddesses. Perhaps we should see if we could rename it 'The Goddess Hotel.'" Keiichi joked.

"Yeah!" Urd played along. "We could be rich!"

"Urd take this seriously!" Skuld scolded.

"I'm just joking!" Urd laughed. Suddenly there was a knock at the front door.

"Come in Lind it's open!" Belldandy called out.

The others heard the door open and Lind coming in the dining room.

"Welcome to our home Lind!" Belldandy cried out excitedly.

"Hey guys!" Lind replied.

"You're just in time for dinner." Keiichi smiled. "Belldandy's trying her hand at American cuisine."

A few minutes later, Belldandy came in with plates of fried chicken and salads. Everyone sat down and ate.

"Wow Belldandy, this is good!" Keiichi replied. "Have you ever made fried chicken like this before?"

"Not at all." Belldandy answered.

"Well still it's very good." Keiichi replied.

"So pleased you enjoy it!"

"Oh brother, there they go again." Urd sighed. She then turned towards Lind and saw her with a solemn expression on her face. "Hey, Lind is something the matter?"

Lind looked over at Urd and answered, "Oh, nothing really. It's just seeing the two of them together..."

Urd considered her friend and sighed. "I see. Seeing them together, you're thinking about...him."

"Yes." Lind admitted sadly.

"Huh?" Skuld asked. "Who? Who are you thinking about Lind."

"Hey, butt out! It's none of your business Skuld!" Urd scolded.

"No, it...it's alright." Lind answered. "I guess I should talk about it."

"Um, Belldandy," Keiichi whispered. "Do you have any idea what they're talking about?"

"Yes." Belldandy answered. "But let Lind tell the story."

"Thank you Belldandy." Lind replied. "You see it all began in the Feudal Era of Japan. A time when there were more demons, and more battles for us Valkyries to fight. I was a teenager then. A troop of us were approaching a small village that was being attacked by an incredibly powerful demon by human standards. Of course we Valkyries took care of it no problem, but when we looked in the village we found that there were few survivors."

Lind then told everyone how the demon had attacked the village by using mind control to turn everyone against each other. Those that did survive were found underground. Then she seemed to go into a trance as she told her story.

"Lind," A Valkyrie spoke up. "There are no more survivors. Now let us go back to heaven and await our next mission."

"You all go ahead." Lind replied. "I'm going to stay behind and mourn the losses of this village."

"As you wish." the other Valkyrie nodded and left.

Lind walked down what was once a road now a wasteland filled with rubble. She wondered for a long time how anyone could create such horrible monsters. Suddenly she heard a gentle crying. She followed it to a pile of rubble that she assumed had once been a house. Using her awesome strength, she managed to carefully clear it away to find a small ten-year-old boy knelt beside the corpse of two beautiful young women. The boy looked at her with green eyes in fear.

"Don't be afraid." Lind calmly told him. "I won't hurt you."

The little boy nodded and came to her and held her. Lind returned the embrace and looked at the two dead girls.

"My mother and older sister." The boy sobbed. "That demon turned them against each other and made then kill each other right in front of me."

Lind nodded sadly. She knew that most demons didn't care who they hurt, just so long as they achieved their objective. She dug two graves and put the two bodies in them, then she told the boy her name and asked what his was.

"Jeiko." the boy answered. "Jeiko Sukaru."

Lind took the boy out of the destroyed village. She then put the boy in a safe place and told him to wait as she got the approval of her lord to help him find a new family. As soon as the Almighty One gave her permission, she back and helped Jeiko find a new family. But as soon as she was done and about to head home, Jeiko called to her.

"Lind, wait!" Jeiko cried out.

Lind turned and smiled at Jeiko. "Yes?" she asked.

"Will...Will I ever see you again?" Jeiko asked shyly.

Lind blushed at this question, she didn't expect Jeiko would ask that. But then she looked into his beautiful green eyes and saw the smile on his face and blushed thinking he was cute. She then smiled and answered, "Sure, if that's what you really want!" She then kissed him on the forehead and left.

"Awww!" Skuld gushed upon hearing that returning Lind to the present. "That's so sweet! You met a small boy and developed a crush for each other."

"Yes." Lind nodded. "And over time I visited Jeiko weekly. We spent so much time together. He showed me the wonders of the world, I told him of Heaven, we'd dine together, play games, and I even taught him how to fight like a Valkyrie and occasionally we would sneak out and hunt demons. In time though, on one of our adventures, Jeiko was seventeen and I was about twenty, we were attacked by a demon even I had trouble with at the time. It was a dragon-demon and it was powerful."

"Jeiko, we can't beat this thing without my comrades!"

"There's no time! It's headed for the village!" Jeiko protested. "I lost my former home and family to a demon, I won't lose this time!"

Jeiko drew his sword and struck, but the demon swept him away with his tail.

"Jeiko!" Lind cried out. She looked and saw Jeiko lying on the ground not moving. Just then she got very angry and began swinging her massive pike at the demon injuring it momentarily. But the demon recovered and attacked her pushing her to the ground and knocking her pike in front of Jeiko's exhausted body. The demon then arched his claws preparing to finish off Lind, when suddenly blood flew from the demon's neck as Jeiko leapt up holding Lind's pike and chopping off its head. Jeiko then fell to the ground, got up, and attended to Lind. But before he could reach her, the demon in one last display of life arched his claws and slashed Jeiko's back. Then it died. Jeiko then went back to tending to Lind.

"Lind, are you alright?" Jeiko asked.

"No, I'm not alright!" Lind answered angrily. "What were you thinking? If I had lost you I could never live with myself."

Jeiko smiled, "But Lind don't you see? I feel the same way. I couldn't lose you either. You mean so much to me and I...I...I."

"Huh?" Lind gasped blushing as tears began to fall down her face. "Oh, Jeiko. You won't. I'll always be by your side no matter what, I promise you."

Jeiko smiled again and said, "Lind, I love you. I've love you since the moment I met you. You were the only comforting thing in my life after my mother and sister died."

Lind smiled and answered, "What took you so long Jeiko? Jeiko, I love you too. I love you with all my heart."

Jeiko blushed and drew himself to Lind's body. He then positioned his lips and drew Lind in a blissful kiss that seemed to last a lifetime as they happily embraced on the grass.

"Then our relationship progressed. We grew closer and closer. He eventually became a great and famous demon killer. He even recieved recognition from the Almighty One who sometimes gave him missions. The Almighty One really liked Jeiko, and highly approved of us being together." Lind spoke. "One day when Jeiko was nineteen he held me beside a riverbank and whispered into my ear." Lind spoke dreamily.

"Lind," Jeiko whispered. "We've been lovers for nearly two years, and friends for nearly ten. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather ask this."

"Huh?" Lind gasped.

"Lind, I want to ask you, will you be my wife? And the mother of my children?" Jeiko asked.

Lind smiled happily, turned around, hugged Jeiko as tightly as she could, and answered, "Yes, Jeiko! Yes, yes, of course I will!"

"Awww!" Skuld cooed. "So did you two get married after that?"

"No." Lind answered sadly. "Shortly after that, a bunch of demons captured Jeiko and put him in some crystal prison that prevented him from aging. They were using him as bait to get to me. I found where they were about two hundred human years later and killed them all, but just as I was about to free Jeiko I heard him cry out.

"No Lind! Don't do it! Just leave me!"

"What? But Jeiko, I've come to set you free after all these years of imprisonment."

"Lind, if you touch this crystal, it will imprison you in my stead. Sure I'll be free, but I'll just reverse back inside. Lind, just leave me. I'd kill myself if you were imprisoned here for as long as I have been."

"Jeiko..." Lind replied with tears streaming down her face. "I...I don't want to lose you again..."

"You won't." Jeiko replied. "I'll always be by your side no matter what, I promise you."

Lind teared up upon hearing those all too familiar words. Then she reluctantly left and went back to heaven. But that night she had a dream. She dreamed that she saw Jeiko looking at her and smiling. She heard him say, "Someday, I'll escape and return to you. Please Lind, please wait for me." Then she awoke. She took a few breaths and said, "I will Jeiko. I'll wait for an eternity."

"And I've been waiting ever since." Lind sighed. "For nearly three hundred human years I've waited."

"Oh! That's so romantic!" Skuld gushed.

"Yes it is." Keiichi agreed.

"Oh give me a break! For crying out loud, that was three hundred tears ago! Not even the Almighty One could free Jeiko from that prison. I think it's time to move on Lind."

"Urd!" Belldandy scolded. "The Almighty One couldn't extract your demonic side, but Maller found a way to do so if you recall."

"No, it's okay Belldandy." Lind sighed. "Urd's right, that was three hundred years ago, maybe it's time for me to move on..."

Just then, a big flash of light appeared in the middle of the table. Everyone looked in awe as it grew brighter and brighter. Just then there was an explosion of light that resided to reveal a small two-year-old girl with green eyes, short silvery hair with a long braid on one side, and three blue dots on her forehead. She looked around and saw Lind, she then smiled and jumped on Lind hugging her tightly.

"Huh?" Lind asked confused. "What? What? Who? Why?"

The girl then nuzzled against Lind and held her even more tightly. The others looked in confusion, but not so much as Lind. The little girl then looked up at Lind and buried her face in her shoulder.

"MOMMY!" The little girl cried out. "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

"Huh?" Lind gasped thinking to herself. "What? What did this girl call me?"

To Be Continued...


	2. A Valkyrie's Tears of Joy

A Valkyrie's Tears of Joy

"Mommy!" The little girl said again.

"Huh?" the others gasped.

"Um, Lind?" Urd began. "What does this little girl mean when she calls you 'Mommy?'"

That was a very good question. Lind was very confused. A few minutes ago she was telling the story of the man she fell in love with five hundred Earth years ago, when all of a sudden this flash of light appeared revealing a two year old girl that hugged her and called Lind her mommy. Lind didn't understand what was going on. Why would this girl call her that? Lind had never had a child in her life, she was never even married for that matter considering she'd spent so many years waiting for Jeiko to escape. So why did this girl refer to her as that?

"Um, excuse me little one," Lind began nervously not wanting to hurt the little girl. "But, but, but I'm not your..."

"Mommy!" The little girl gushed again looking up at Lind's confused face. Lind then got a closer look at the girl's face which caused her to gasp. Whoever this girl was, it was very easy to see why she would think Lind was her mother. She had silvery-blue hair that was short on one side and long on the other, not to mention like Lind she had three blue dots on her forehead. But what separated her from Lind were her eyes. Her shiny emerald-green eyes.

"Wait a minute!" Lind gasped as she realized that shade of green was so familiar. But she couldn't place her finger on it.

"Mommy?" The little girl asked with a smile. "What's the matter?"

Lind saw the smile on her face and gasped again. For as she looked down and saw the smile along with those eyes, she could see the smiling face of Jeiko Sukaru from when he was ten years old so long ago. Lind then began to tear up with joy.

"J...J...J...Jeiko?" She whispered. "Jeiko?"

The little girl then smiled. "Daddy!" She cried. "Daddy's name!" Then she turned to everyone else and ran over to Keiichi and hugged him.

"Uncle Keiichi!" The little girl cried out. "Auntie Belldandy!" She then grabbed hold of Belldandy and hugged her. Belldandy then smiled and hugged her back.

"Lind," Belldandy began returning the girl to Lind. "I don't understand why or how, but I think this is your child."

"It certainly seems that way." Keiichi agreed. "But the question is; 'How did she get here?'"

Just then another burst of light came into existance. "Ugh! Jind, you little pest!" A familiar voice cried out. "How many times do I have to tell you that my time machine isn't a..."

Everyone gasped at what appeared before them. But Skuld gasped loudest of all. For standing before them all was Skuld in the adult form she took shortly after Belldandy, Keiichi, Urd, and Skuld battled Maller and The Ultimate Destruction Program. The adult Skuld looked at everyone and blushed.

"Heh! Now was I ever that young and cute?" The adult Skuld joked looking at Skuld and shaking her head with a smile. Then she looked over at the little girl still holding on to Lind. "Okay Jind," She sighed. "Time to let Mommy go and return to our time."

"But Auntie Skuld..." The girl griped.

"No 'buts' Jind." Skuld sternly replied. "You've caused enough trouble for one night. Besides, your parents will be back shortly from their trip and are looking forward to you being here when they get back."

"But Mommy's right here." The little girl stated confused.

"But Daddy's not." Skuld answered. "And he won't be until you come back home with me."

"Okay..." The little girl sighed.

"Hey Skuld," The adult Skuld told her younger self.

"Huh?" Skuld answered.

The adult Skuld put her hand on young Skuld's shoulder. "Just a little advice okay? Don't grow up too fast. After all, you've only got one childhood." Then the adult Skuld got to her feet and pressed a button on a wristband she was wearing causing both her and the girl to start glowing.

"No! Wait Skuld!" Lind protested.

"What is it?" The adult Skuld asked.

"Skuld," Lind began tearing up again. "Is this girl really my daughter? Is Jeiko this girl's father? And if so, when does he escape from that horrible prison?"

Skuld frowned sadly. "I'm afraid I can't answer those questions Lind." Just then there was a knock on the door which caused the disappearing Skuld to smile. "But someone else can answer the third." Then she disappeared. The knock continued.

"I'll get that." Urd stated. But as she approached the door, she began to gripe. "Geez! After all that's happened, who could be knocking on the door at this ungodly hour?" She then came to the front door and opened it.

"What?" Urd gasped. "You?! It...it...it can't be!"

The figure standing at the door was a handsome man. About five feet and seven inches tall with a muscular build. He wore a black and olive green kimono. He had a strong yet gentle face with very long flowing chocolate-brown hair. But perhaps his most distinguishing features were his emerald green eyes that were filled with patience, love, and understanding.

"It is Urd." The man nodded. "It's me. I'm back."

"Hey Urd, who is it?" Lind's voice cried out from down the hallway. "You've been at the door for the past three minutes, who's there at the..."

But Lind stopped in mid-sentence as she saw who was standing at the door. Her mouth dropped open and she stood frozen in confusion. When she finally found the strength to speak, she sputtered out, "J...J...J...J...Jeiko? Jeiko?! Is..is it really you?"

"Yes my love." Jeiko nodded. with a smile. "It's certainly been awhile hasn't it Lind?"

"JEIKO!" Lind cried out running to him and taking him in her arms. "It's been nearly three hundred years! I was beginning to think I'd never see you again!" More tears of joy flowed down her face as Lind nuzzled her beloved's shoulder. "Oh, after all this time Jeiko! After all this time! I'm so happy! I'm so happy to see you again!"

"As am I Lind." Jeiko softly replied. "As am I."

"But," Urd began, "How on Earth did you escape? And how did you find out Lind was here?"

"Well, I'll tell you." Jeiko answered. "But first, can I have something to eat? I mean after all, it's been five-hundred years since my last meal!"

Lind giggled, "Well, that confirms it! If there were any doubts as to whether of not this is the real Jeiko, that statement laid them to rest! After all; it could be five-hundred years or only five-hundred seconds, but either way Jeiko Sukaru's ALWAYS thinking about his next meal!"

"Hey! I resent that!" Jeiko griped. "After all, I think about you a lot too!" He then let his anger subside and sweetlu said, "In fact, being deprived of food and all for the past five-hundred years, you Lind are pretty much the only thing I've been thinking of these past few years."

"Huh?" Lind gasped.

Urd shook her head, "Alright you two, break it up! There'll be time for this later. Right now, Jeiko's right. Five-hundred years without food? The poor boy must be starving!"

To be continued...


	3. How Jeiko Escaped

How Jeiko Escaped

Urd then lead Jeiko and Lind to the kitchen. Once there Jeiko looked at everyone while Belldandy looked in surprise.

"Jeiko Sukaru?" Belldandy asked shocked to see him. "Is that you?"

"It's been awhile hasn't it Belldandy?" Jeiko nodded then he looked over at Skuld. "Oh, and Skuld! Look how much you've grown! Why the last time I saw you, you were just a little baby!"

"Huh?" Skuld asked. "But...but...but I've never met you in my life!"

Jeiko giggled. "You were a baby, but I remember the last time we met. Your sisters brought you to my village and you were just approaching that age where you were learning to walk."

"That's right!" Urd laughed. "But no matter what any of us did you wouldn't get it."

"But then we took you outside to the village where you saw the local blacksmith hammering away at some trinkets on his anvil." Jeiko explained. "When you saw him, you gave him a curious expression then motioned that you wanted to be let down."

"You were so intrigued by the man's work, that you got up and started walking towards him." Belldandy stated fondly. "In fact, many in heaven believed it was your interest in that blacksmith that inspired you to become the great inventor that you are."

"Really big sis?" Skuld asked. "Is that really how I learned how to walk?"

"Yes." Belldandy nodded as a small tear rolled down her cheek.

Jeiko then turned to Keiichi and extended his hand. "And you sir, are Keiichi Morisato are you not?"

Keiichi nodded. "Yes I am. But how do you know that?"

"Questions. Questions." Jeiko sighed. "Can I please get something to eat before I explain everything?"

"Of course." Belldandy nodded handin Jeiko a plate of food. "You poor thing! You've been trapped in that horrible prison for the past 500 years! It must have been horrible for you to have been hungry and alone for so long!"

"Hungry, yes." Jeiko nodded scarfing down a drumstick. "Lonely, not so much. You see about fifty years after I told Lind to leave me in that crystal, I found a way to separate my soul from my body as I slept."

"Wow!" Urd admired. "That takes a lot of discipline to do Jeiko! Even for gods and goddesses!"

"Yes." Jeiko agreed. "But anyway, I used this knowledge to venture out of that crystal and explore the changes of the world in my absense. As time grew on, I bore witness to many things. Eventually, I studied human behavior and learned how modern technology worked in this day and age. That's how I found out about your dwellings here. I ventured to this side of the city, and saw the three goddesses I knew when I was free in this very temple."

"You knew where we lived all this time?" Urd asked.

"Yes." Jeiko replied. "In fact, I was there when you Urd were possessed bu your demonic half and unleased the Lord of Terror which created the Ultimate Destruction Program."

Urd blushed at this as Jeiko went on to say, "In fact, I was there when Belldandy was explaining to you Keiichi about Valkyries. A part of me hoped that the Ultimate Destruction Program would be unleashed so that I may have a chance to see Lind after so long. And then when it possessed you Keiichi, and Lind arrived, I felt so happy. But then when she attacked Belldandy and when you jumped to shield her Keiichi I was grabbing her pike and saying to Lind even thought I knew she couldn't hear me, 'Please Lind. Can't you see these two are in love? Would you allow anybody to attempt to kill me if I was possessed like Keiichi has been?'"

Lind gasped at this.

"Lind?" Skuld asked.

Lind then looked in shock and muttered quietly. "Then it wasn't my imagination..."

"What are you talking about Lind?" Urd asked.

Lind the looked up at Jeiko. "Jeiko," She began, "You may find this hard to believe, but I DID hear you!"

"What?" The others gasped.

"Yes." Lind smiled. "As soon as I was about to deliver the finishing blow, I felt a tugging at my pike and your voice whispering in my ear those exact words Jeiko. That's why I stopped."

Jeiko smiled. "Well Keiichi, I guess you could say that I was the one that stopped Lind from killing you. But enough of that! Let's talk about how I escaped from my prison."

"That's what I'd like to know." Lind agreed.

"Well, believe it or not, it was Maller that helped me escape." Jeiko began.

"What!" Urd gasped. "But Maller would never help you! You're one of Hild's Top Ten Most Wanted! Virtually all demons fear you!"

"She didn't do it intentionally." Jeiko explained. "You see, she discovered the legend of the crystal that could imprison any human of goddess that touched it and planned to use it on you Belldandy."

Jeiko's words then began to drift as he remembered that moment earlier in the day.

"Ugh! Senbei! Hurry it up! We're almost there!" Maller growled to the little debt demon that traveled with her.

"Zut alors!" Senbei complained. "Zis rocky dusty cave is ruining my outfit!"

"Oh shut up!" Maller snapped. "Seriously, why did I ever let you out? All you do is cause me misfortune instead of those pesky goddesses and Keiichi like I tell you to in the first place!"

"Sacre bleu!" Senbei piped up offended. "Perish ze thought! Is it my fault that those goddesses give him all that luck? Mais non!"

Jeiko could here the two of them arguing until they reached his chamber.

"Oh! There it is!" Maller gasped at the huge purple rock that held Jeiko prisoner. "The prison of Jeiko Sukaru! They say he's still alive in there even though he's been in there for 500 years." She then smirked. "Hey Jeiko! You alone in there? Aww! What's the matter? Do you miss your beloved Lind?"

"More than anything in this world." Jeiko thought to himself.

"Well that's the least of your problems now Demon Killer!" Maller continued to taunt. "Because you see, I'm bringing this crystal back with me to the demon realm. There my lady Hild will let you loose to torture you a thousand times fold for all the damage you've done to demonkind."

"Yes!" Senbei nodded floating to the crysat. "Now let's grab this crystal!"

"Stop!" Maller shouted. "Don't touch it! If your bare skin touches that crystal, you'll be imprisoned and Jeiko will be set free and I don't want to deal with a man who was trained by Lind herself!"

Senbei then floated away as Maller sported a pair of gloves. But as she approched, some dust flew into Senbei's face.

"Ah...ah...ahhhh..." Senbei began.

"Huh?" Maller asked noticing Senbei about to sneeze. "NO! Senbei don't say..."

"Shakin!" Senbei sneezed.

All of a sudden, a rock broke loose holding Jeiko's prison in place and allowing the crystal to tip over and land on Maller's face.

"Ouch!" Maller complained. But her pain soon came to an end as she suddenly dematerialized as Jeiko materialized out of his prison.

"Uhhh!" Jeiko griped grabbing his head. "My head..." Then he looked around and saw that there was no more purple tint in what he was seeing. He then gasped as he looked around.

"I...I...I," He began. "I'm free?" As he thought for a few seconds, he then leaped for joy. "I'M FREE! I'm free at last!"

"Huh? What the?" Maller's voice called out. "Wh-wh-wh-what's going on? Get me out of here!"

"Hmmm?" Jeiko turned and saw Maller imprisoned in the crystal. "A demon? Well, looks like your plan to take me to Hild just backfired because I'm free!"

"Not for long!" Maller called out. "Senbei! Get me out of here!"

"Not a problem mademoiselle!" Senbei answered invoking his debt powers. "Sha..."

Jeiko then casually smacked Senbei which shut him up and sent him flying out of sight.

"Hmph! Pesky vermin!" Jeiko grumbled. "I don't have time to play!"

He then turned to the exit of the cave.

"Wait!" Maller called out. "It's 2013! How on earth will you adapt to the changes in technology?"

"I already have." Jeiko answered. "I found a way to separate myself from my body and experience the changes in the world."

"But where will you go?" Maller asked trying to keep Jeiko form leaving her alone.

"The temple where Belldandy lives with her sisters and that boy Keiichi." Jeiko answered.

"But why there?" Maller asked.

"Because Belldandy can probably contact Heaven for me and tell my beloved Lind that I've finally escaped." Jeiko replied dreamily.

"Hey! Hey, lover boy!" Maller spoke up. "What about me? You can't just leave me here!"

"Oh no?" Jeiko replied smugly. "Just watch me." And he left the cave.

"A few hours later, I arrived in town to make my way to your temple when I passed a payphone that began ringing as I passed." Jeiko explained. "I answered it..."

"Hello?" Jeiko asked.

"It's been awhile Jeiko." A deep voice Jeiko recognized began.

"Almighty One." Jeiko gasped. "Yes, it's been over 500 years."

"I am pleased that you have escaped thanks to Maller." The voice continued. "As a welcome back present, I am willing to grant you one wish."

"Almighty One, you know perfectly well the only thing I want." Jeiko answered. "All I want is to see Lind again."

"Very well Jeiko." The voice answered. "Head to the home of Belldandy and her sisters. She'll be there when you get there."

"So THAT'S the real reason the Almighty One gave you all that time off!" Skuld concluded. "The Almighty One knew Jeiko would escape and be seeking Lind and sent her down to reunite them!"

Lind then left the room.

"Hey Lind!" Keiichi yelped. "Where are you going?"

They all watched as Lind made her way to the phone. She put in a few numbers and waited.

"Hello?" The voice of the Almighty One answered.

"Thank you..." Lind sobbed happily. "Thank you so much my Lord."

Lind then put down the phone and turned to see Jeiko standing right next to her.

"Jeiko? What are you..." But before Lind could continue, Jeiko put his finger to her lips.

"Lind, my love," He began. "I've kept my promise. Now will you keep yours?"

"Huh?" Lind asked.

Jeiko then dropped to one knee and held Lind's left hand. "Lind, after 500 years of patience, will you marry me?" He asked.

Lind teared up as she clasped Jeiko in her arms and cried out happily, "Yes! Yes! I've waited so long for you to ask me! Of course I will!"


	4. Marler's Revenge

Marler's Revenge

"My lady," A demon began kneeling before the throne of the Demon Realm. "Marler has failed in bringing in the crystal prison of Jeiko Sukaru. Furthermore, her companion Senbei has accidentally set Jeiko free and Marler has been captured in Jeiko's place."

"Why am I not surprised?" Hild sighed rolling her eyes. "Marler isn't the brightest of demons so it fits that she has been captured in that crystal."

"My lady, this is serious!" The demon spoke. "Jeiko's free now, and we've gotten word that Lind is on Earth as we speak! Lady Hild, with Jeiko free and Lind reuniting with him..."

"Yes," Hild began. "The situation is most serious indeed."

"What will we do Lady Hild?" the demon asked.

"First, I have a few followers of min that will recieve very serious punishments for this failure..."

Elsewhere in the cave of the prison crystal, Marler struggled with her powers to get free.

"Alright, this should do the trick!" Marler cried conjuring a great spell. "Now blast!"

She cast the spell only to watch in dismay as the crystal absorbed the power and sent it back to Marler hitting her with recoil.

"Ahhhrghhhh!" Marler cried out. "Ouch! That hurt! Okay, let's see what this will do!"

"You're wasting your time Marler dear." A voice echoed throughout the cave. A voice Marler knew all too well and sent a shiver down her spine.

"L-L-L-Lady Hild!" Marler spoke in a panicked voice.

"Yes, Marler." Hild answered appearing in front of her out of nowhere. She took a moment to look at and snicker at Marler's predicament. "My! My! My Marler I've heard others say you were quite the stonehead, but this!"

"Lady Hild," Marler begged. "Please let me out of here!"

Hearing this, Hild stopped laughing and glared at Marler. "Hmph! For this extreme failure, I should leave you in there and take you back to the Demon Realm and make a quite amusing display out of you in the Museum of Failure in our realm!"

"Nooo!" Marler begged not wanting to be made fun of for eternity. "Please my Lord! Not that! I'll do anything, just please don't subject me to an eternity of humiliation!"

"But the truth is I need you." Hild continued not hearing a word Marler said. "In fact I need all available demons on Earth to deal with this dire situation."

"Dire situation?" Marler asked relieved that she was getting another chance. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Jeiko Sukaru, Marler." Hild answered releasing Marler. "Now that he's escaped and reunited with Lind and the others, the results could be catastrophic for us demons!"

"What do you mean Lady Hild?" Marler asked. "What's there to be afraid of? Jeiko's only a human after all!"

Hild made no reply to this, but Marler wasn't done yet. "In fact, I'm going to make up for my mistakes and go to the temple and recapture him right now!"

"What?" Hild gasped. "No, Marler don't!"

"Senbei!" Marler called out not paying Hild any attention. "Let's go now and extract our revenge on that pesky Jeiko Sukaru!"

"Si! Oui! Hai!" Senbei replied. "I owe that boy for what he did to me when last we met!"

"Then let's go now!" Marler smirked taking off into the air and heading towards the temple where Belldandy and the others resided. Hild was left behind and shook her head.

"Marler, you are one foolish girl." Hild grumbled.

Marler and Senbei flew towards the temple when Senbei stopped all of a sudden.

"Lady Marler," He began. "Uno momento, one moment."

"What is it this time?" Marler grumbled.

"I just realized that while we are going to capture a mere human boy, we are also going to have to deal with not only three powerful goddesses, but also with the most powerful Valkyrie in heaven. And don't forget that robot guard."

"Yes, you're right." Marler answered thoughtfully. "We'll have to be extra prepared. Let's go back to our dwellings make a plan of attack and arm ourselves for what we are about to encounter."

At the Tariki Hogan Temple, Belldandy and Skuld were busy talking. Skuld looked at Belldandy and smiled.

"Hey, big sis! Lind and Jeiko asked me to be the flower girl at their wedding! Isn't that cool!"

"That's wonderful Skuld!" Belldandy answered. "Lind asked me and Urd to be two of her maids of honor. I also hear that she's gome to heaven to send the message to Peorth to be the third!"

"Really?" Skuld asked. "Does Peorth even know Jeiko?"

"Oh, yes!" Belldandy replied. "She was taken in by him much like she was with Keiichi! In fact, virtually all goddesses in heaven know of Jeiko. The very fact he was able to win over the heart of Lind, the toughest Valkyrie in heaven got a lot of attention from the girls. And as such, many goddeses journeyed to Earth just to get a glimpse of him, many were quite infatuated with him."

"Really?" Skuld asked. "Were you one of them big sis?"

"Oh, goodness no!" Belldandy answered. "Jeiko was already very much in love with Lind, and besides I was too young to understand true love. It was only when I met Keiichi that..."

"Huh?" Skuld asked. "Oh, big sis."

"I'm sorry." Belldandy replied. "I guess I was ranting for a moment there."

"Big sis," Skuld asked. "Do you really want to be with Keiichi forever?"

"Yes," Belldandy answered. "I want to be with him more than anything."

Skuld sighed. She knew that Belldandy had feelings for Keiichi, and he for her. But she had known Belldandy all her life, and as such she didn't want to lose her. Then she met and spent much time with Sentaro and began to realize the feelings between Keiichi and Belldandy. She then realized that her sister had grown up, and was ready to live life on her own.

"Alright Sis." Skuld finally conceded. "If you that's what you want, then I won't stop you anymore."

"Huh?" Belldandy asked. "What do you mean Skuld?"

"I mean that I'm through keeping you apart." Skuld answeres. "I realize know that this is your life, and as such it's your choice to decide who you belong with. And I see now that you've decided that you belond with Keiichi."

"Oh, Skuld!" Belldandy sobbed. "Thank you!"

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" Skuld answered rolling her eyes. "Now go to him before I change my mind!"

Elsewhere in the temple, Keiichi and Jeiko were having a contest to see who could repair a bike faster. Keiichi was confused as to why Jieko would attempt this considering Jeiko lived in the Feudal Era, but was eventually surprised when Jeiko reigned victorious over him.

"What?" Keiichi gasped. "B-b-b-but how did you?"

"Surprised Keiichi?" Jeiko smirked. "Have you forgotten that I was able to separate my soul from my body? I've spent the past 300 years watching the progression of technology remember? I've known how to repair cars and motorcycles ever since they were invented!"

"Wow! That's impressive!" Keiichi admired. "What else do you know?"

"Well, I don't mean to be arrogant, but I think the more appropriate question would be, 'Is there anything I DON'T know?'" Jeiko answered. "After all, when you can't really talk to anyone the only thing you really can do is learn."

"You have a point there." Keiichi replied. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Yes, who is it?" Keiichi answered.

"It's me Keiichi." Belldandy answered. "I came to give you good news."

"What news is that Belldandy?" Keiichi asked.

"Skuld's not going to stop us from being together anymore!" Belldandy answered joyfully. "She's going to let us be together!"

"WHAT?" Keiichi replied in disbelief. "But how can that be? Amd I dreaming?"

"No Keiichi." Belldandy answered happily. "We're going to be together now."

"Oh, Belldandy..." Keiichi began as his lips reached for Belldandy's.

"Keiichi..." Belldandy answered as their lips move closer and closer.

Jeiko watched the two slowly making their way to each other. He rolled his eyes in annoyance at the time they were taking.

"Oh, come on!" He griped outloud putting his hands on both Keiichi and Belldandy's backs. "Just get on with it already!" He then pushed the two together so they they could share their first ever lip-contact kiss.

The two blushed at the gesture, but immediately relaxed as they enjoyed each other. After they broke, Jeiko then pushed them out the door.

"Oh my!" Belldandy protested. "Jeiko, what are you doing?"

"You two need to go out and get share some fresh air!" Jeiko spoke paying no mind to Belldandy's protest. "The day is young, bright, sunny, and cheerful! It's a perfect day for two lovebirds like you to spread their wings and fly! Now go!"

He then escorted them to Keiichi's bike and left. As soon as heard the bike drive off he smiled.

"Well, now that THAT'S taken care of," Jeiko began hearing his stomach rumble. "Time to raid the fridge and get some training in!"

"I'm afraid that your training begins now!" A sinister voice broke out.

"Huh?" Jeiko asked turning to see Marler and Senbei where the voices came from. "Oh, you again? Hild must've let you out."

"Indeed, and now that I'm free I'm going to capture you and bring you to my lady!"

"Yes indeed." Senbei replied.

Seeing Senbei's face, Jeiko chuckled. "Hey, pipsqueak! Nice shiner! Who gave that to you?"

Senbei glowered grabbing hold of his eye knowing full well it was black due to the flick in the eye Jeiko gave him. Marler then conjured two dark orbs in her hand.

"You're going down Jeiko!" She flared. "With Belldandy going out with Keiichi, and Lind in heaven spreading word of her recent nuptuals, you're defenseless! She then launched the attack at him. But to her surprise, Jeiko just took his right hand and flicked the balls away as if nothing happened.

"What?" Marler gasped. "But how could you?"

"Jeiko!" Skuld and Urd cried out simultaneously. Jeiko and Marler turned to see Skuld with a bomb in her hand, Banpei with his stick and Rock-n-Roll speakers, and Urd with her hands crackling electricity.

"Marler, how dare you show your face here!" Urd asked angrily. "Especially after waking me from my nap!"

"Oh no!" Marler panicked. "My loud attack got their attention! Now we're outnumbered!"

"Not quite." Jeiko answered.

"Huh?" Marler asked turning to see Jeiko look at his allies. "Guys, I want you to stand over there and leave this to me."

"What?" Skuld asked incredulously. "But you won't survive, she's a demon!"

"No Skuld." Urd broke in grabbing Skuld. "He's right, we should let Jeiko handle this." She then picked Skuld up and flew to the temple roof. She then gave Jeiko a thumbs up and called out, "Let her have it Jeiko!"

"Huh?" Marler asked confused. "Why would Urd leave to let you fight me by yourself? And what doe she mean let me have...OH MY GODDESS!"

Marler had turned to see Jeiko turn his right forearm into a giant metal cannon pointed directly at her. She watched as it charged and launched a massive blast that hit sent her flying off far into the distance. Then the cannon turned into a mechanical arm that changed color into Jeiko's natural skin tone. Skuld looked at Jeiko in shock.

"What the?" Skuld asked. "What's going on? How could Jeiko have something like that? Such technology isn't possible yet in this world, much less the Feudal Era!"

"No Skuld." Urd answered. "Jeiko's arm was cut off by demons many years after he and Lind defeated that dragon demon. Also his left eye was gouged out. Afterwards, Lind went to the Almighty One and asked him to build Jeiko a special combat arm and eye for him. Since demons were in much larger numbers in the Feudal Era, and Jeiko had pledged his life and skills to the cause of the Almighty One, and he was one of Earth's greatest Demon Killers, Jeiko was entitled to the insurance and protection of heaven. So, he went to the genius inventors that built Yggdrasil and they constructed a new arm and eye for him."

"What?" Skuld answered in disbelief. "You mean that arm was built by gods and goddesses?"

"And my left eye." Jeiko confirmed. "But Lind insisted that the metal plating of the arm to be the same metal used to forged her pike so that not only would it be loaded with weapons, but also so that it could deliver a good punch. It's also programmed to protect me from minor demon attacks."

"Wow!" Skuld admired. "That's amazing!"

"Yes." Urd answered. "But the thing is demons have evolved since the last time you fought Jeiko. While that attack was able to repel Marler's minor attack, she'll likely be back with attacks you've never seen before."

"You're right Urd." Skuld nodded. "It might be a good idea to give that arm and eye an upgrade. Or better yet, I could study the technology and build an entirely new and even more powerful arm and eye! Jeiko, can your arm and eye be detached?"

"Yes." Jeiko nodded. "I take them off occasionally."

"Can I borrow them for awhile then?" Skuld asked. "Please! I want to build you a better one!"

"Alright." Jeiko agreed. "But if it's possible, is there any chance you can make the new arm have an artificial sense of touch? This one doesn't have that, and it was always really heartbreaking that whenever my right arm touched Lind, I couldn't feel her."

"Child's play!" Skuld assured him. "I can do that no problem! I'm amazed the inventors of Yggdrasil couldn't"

"Thank you Skuld." Jeiko sobbed happily.

In a dark part of the city, Marler and Senbei returned to their home looking like they had been ground in a wood-chipper. Marler fell exhaustively into her coffin.

"Ugh! I never expected Jeiko would be in possession of devine technology! Especially of that magnitude!" Marler gasped out.

"You would've known if you had stayed behind." The voice of Hild spoke out of nowhere.

"Lady Hild!" Marler gasped. "You knew all along? Why didn't you stop me before I left?"

"So that you could learn the hard way about Jeiko." Hild replied in an annoyed fashion. "Jeiko Sukaru's killed countless demons with that arm and his father's sword. Fortunately I was able to uncover the sword which now sits in my personal trophy room. Which I had planned to make Jeiko Sukaru a part of had it not been for your mishap Marler!"

"Forgive me Lady Hild!" Marler begged. "And if I may be so bold, why do you want him alive in the first place? If he's killed so many of our kind, why don't we just kill him? After all he's only a mere human!"

Hearing this, Hild gritted furiously through her teeth "He isn't just a mere human you idiot! He's Jeiko!" She then stuttered for a few moments.

Marler broke the silence, "Hild, is there something about Jeiko you know about? Are...are...are you afraid of him?"

"WHAT?!" Hild flared angrily. "Me, afraid of that insolent boy? I am NOT afraid of Jeiko Sukaru!"

"Then what is it my liege?" Marler asked.

Hild paused for a moment and sighed, "Marler, I am not afraid of Jeiko Sukaru. But I am afraid of a group of individuals associated with him."

"Who would those be?" Marler asked.

"Their names are "Durin, Kantaro, and Jind." Hild answered.

"And who are they?" Marler asked.

"The future children of Jeiko Sukaru and Lind." Hild shuddered.

"Jeiko and Lind's children?" Marler asked confused. "Why would you fear them?"

Hild sighed again and answered. "Marler, I'm going to let you in on a secret about Jeiko Sukaru. A secret known only by me and the Almighty One."


	5. Delayed Attack on Goddess Heartthrob

Delayed Attack on the Goddesses Heartthrob

"WHAT?!" Marler exclaimed. "But that's impossible! Earth spirits HATE demons even more than most gods and goddesses do!"

Hild had just finished telling Marler of a secret about Jeiko Sukaru that only she and the Almighty One knew. She knew that it was hard to believe, but it was true.

"It is Marler." Hild nodded. "And knowing this, if Jeiko and Lind were to have children, the combined power of such children, not to mention the probable Valkyrie training by their mother Lind, would..."

"Rival that of the Almighty One and even you!" Marler finished. "And worse! Lind's purpose in life is to combat demons, and demons killed Jeiko's mother and sister! Such children would be raised with a deep hatred for all demonkind! And that would mean..."

"The destruction of demonkind altogether!" Hild finished. "It's that very secret about Jeiko's parents that is cause for concern. As well as the possibility of the fact that the mother of these children would be the sons and daughters of Lind."

"We can't let that happen!" Marler snapped. "We need to prevent Jeiko and Lind from conceiving children!"

"Yes." Hild nodded.

"Let's get that crystal and put Jeiko back in it!" Marler exclaimed.

"That won't work." Hild sighed. "That crystal can only imprison an individual only once. And since Jeiko's already been in it, it won't take him in again."

"Then what do we do?" Marler asked. "If the prison won't take Jeiko in again, then what else is left to do?"

"There is only one option left." Hild answered. "But it won't be easy. First we need to get Lind away from Jeiko so that she can't protect him. The question is how?"

"If I may be so bold my Lady?" Marler piped up. "I have an idea."

"Hmmm?" Hild replied. "This had better be good Marler dear! You've had some bad ones in the past."

"That's true my liege." Marler conceded. "But this time, I think I've got a good one."

"Very well," Hild nodded. "I'm listening."

"That secret you spoke about Jeiko's father," Marler began. "How do you suppose Lind would respond if she were to find out about that?"

"Ohhhh!" Hild squealed in delight. "Now THAT is an idea Marler! At the very least it should be traumatizing enough to get her away from him for an extended period of time. Time enough to fulfill our primary objective."

"Then let's go!" Marler replied. "Let's go tell Lind the big news!"

"Not yet Marler dear." Hild replied. "First we're going to need a little time to assemble ourselves. Not to mention this plan requires one little ingredient that will take some time to form."

"How long would that be my Lord?" Marler asked.

"About two weeks." Hild answered. "For now, we let Jeiko and his friends enjoy themselves for awhile. We need to bide our time before we tell Lind our secret. If we told her now, she'd likely go confide in her fellow Valkyries, and even the Almighty One. And if that happens, they'd be able to comfort her enough to be able to get the message."

"What message is that Lady Hild?" Marler asked.

"The sins of the father cannot rest on the son." Hild answered.

Up in Heaven, Lind was headed for the chamber of the Almighty One. Once there she knocked on the door.

"Come in Lind." the Almighty One replied.

Lind opened the door and approached the Almighty One. She knelt as tears of joy fell from her eyes.

"I am pleased to hear of your upcoming wedding." the Almighty One spoke. "Did you enjoy the surprise I gave you when I sent you to Earth?"

"Yes Almighty One." Lind sobbed happily. "You sent me back to Earth so that I could have the one thing I wanted most for myself. You sent me back to reunite with the man I love. Again, I thank you great Almighty One!"

"You are very welcome Lind." the Almighty One replied.

"How can I ever repay you?" Lind asked.

"There is no need for that Lind." the Almighty One spoke. "Live a long happy life with Jeiko filled with joy and love, and that's all the thanks I need from you."

"Yes my Lord." Lind nodded happily. "Jeiko also told me to give you his thanks. Oh, and by the way, do you know where Peorth is?"

"She's at her station in the Earth Help Center." the Almighty One answered. "And give Jeiko my blessings."

"I will, thank you my Lord." Lind answered with a smile as she left to find her best friend. She headed in the direction of the Earth Help Center imagining the look on Peorth's face when she found out about Jeiko escaping. She chuckled to herself. She knew that Peorth was indeed very flirtatious. In fact, she remembered all the times she had to pull Peorth away from Jeiko.

"Keiichi thinks that Peorth was flirtatious with him?" Lind laughed to herself. "That brief little stunt was nothing compared to the attraction Peorth had for Jeiko!"

Lind smiled at that. While she didn't like other women or goddesses getting close to Jeiko, she could easily understand why they would. Jeiko was strong, handsome, brave, kind, wise, and honest. Lind thought of how someone of such a once irritable personality and reputation such as herself wound up with someone like Jeiko was somewhat beyond her.

And this brought back more painful memories. As a child, Lind was often made fun of for having had only one angel's wing. That was until Keiichi helped her discover she had two angels. But as a teenager long before Lind met Keiichi, Lind would often confide about her troubles in Heaven to her beloved friend Jeiko Sukaru. He listened to her and comforted her. Telling her there was nothing weak about her, she wasn't a freak, or anything that the other gods and goddesses referred to her as. In fact, Lind back then honestly felt that she was happier on Earth than in Heaven.

Then, as if they had been listening, Lind's angels Spear Mint and Cool Mint appeared and smiled at their mistress. Seeing them brought back the memory of Keiichi helping her second angel be awakened. It was love that awakened her. And now that Jeiko was awake, it was very likely that the reason her other angel awoke, was because Keiichi in a way reminded Lind of Jeiko.

Suddenly, Lind saw someone who caused her to break from her thoughts and scowl in disgust. It was Urd's ex the Plum Tree Spirit Troubadour. She didn't care much for his company and as such often avoided him as much as possible. But this time, with Jeiko back in her life she had nothing to be concerned about. She passed him on the road. Troubadour noticed the happy content look on her face and spoke.

"Hello Lind." Troubadour greeted. "Well, this is certainly a surprise! It's not everyday you seem so cheerful."

"Say what you will Troubadour." Lind replied. "Nothing can spoil my day today!"

Lind then cheerfully walked away leaving Troubadour confused.

"Well, that was odd." He thought to himself. "I wonder what made Lind be in such a good mood today? Oh well, it's none of my business. I guess I'll go down to Earth and make amends to that boy Keiichi Morisato for how I treated him."

Lind finally reached the entrance of the Earth Help Center. Once inside, she asked the receptionist to call Peorth to the lobby. The receptionist then called to Peorth's desk.

"Hello?" Peorth's voice spoke from the phone. "Earth Help Center, how may we be of service?"

"Miss Peorth, Lind is here to see you and asks that you come to the main lobby to see her." the receptionist spoke.

"Be right down." Peorth answered.

A few minutes later, Peorth arrived and approached Lind.

"Hello Lind."

"Hello Peorth." Lind answered. "I've got good news, but I'd like to talk someplace private. Do you mind?"

"Of course." Peorth nodded. The two then went and found a quiet place where they could be alone for awhile. Peorth looked at her friend.

"So Lind, what's the big news?" She asked.

Lind paused for awhile and then replied, "Peorth, I'm. Getting. MARRIED!"

"What?" Peorth asked. "You can't be serious! To who?"

"Peorth," Lind began. "He escaped!"

"Huh?" Peorth asked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean after 500 years of imprisonment..." Lind squealed.

"What?" Peorth gasped and then grinned. "You mean?"

"That's right." Lind nodded.

"JEIKO'S FREE?" Peorth shouted.

"Shhh! Not so loud! You want to attract the attention of the rest of 'Jeiko's Goddess Fan Club?'" Lind scolded.

"Oops!" Peorth studdered. "Right, don't want the others finding out!"

"No indeed." Lind nodded. "Listen, I've asked Skuld to be my Flower Girl, and she's going to ask Sentaro to be the Ring Bearer. I've asked Urd and Belldandy to be two of my Maids of Honor, but I need a third."

"Done!" Peorth answered. "I'm in! Oh, this is going to be so exciting! Finally after nearly six centuries, my best friend is getting married!"

Elsewhere on Earth, Belldandy and Keiichi had returned home. They looked to see Urd watching TV while Skuld was practicing her magic.

"Hey guys," Keiichi began. "Where's Jeiko?"

"Out on the town, getting a giant submarine sandwich." Urd sighed. "Honestly! Where does that boy put it all?"

"Yeah, Lind's probably gonna feel like a slave feeding Jeiko with an appetite like that!" Skuld agreed.

"Urd, Skuld, stop it!" Belldandy scolded. "Urd, you know perfectly well that there's a very good reason for Jeiko's appetite! His arm requires extra energy from his body to function properly. Also, he misses his mother and her cooking!"

"Yeah." Urd nodded sadly. "I guess food is therapeutic for him. Thank goodness that arm prevents him from gaining weight in fat."

"Yeah I saw that as I was studying the technology." Skuld replied.

"Why would you study Jeiko's arm Skuld?" Belldandy inquired.

"Um, excuse me." Keiichi asked. "What's this about 'Jeiko's arm?'"

"Huh? Oh right!" Belldandy blushed knowing Keiichi had no idea about what they were talking about. "Well..."

"It's like this Keiichi!" Skuld began interrupting her sister. "You see, Jeiko's arm was cut off by demons many years after he and Lind defeated that dragon demon. Also his left eye was gouged out. Afterwards, Lind went to the Almighty One and asked him to build Jeiko a special combat arm and eye for him. Since demons were in much larger numbers in the Feudal Era, and Jeiko had pledged his life and skills to the cause of the Almighty One, and he was one of Earth's greatest Demon Killers, Jeiko was entitled to the insurance and protection of heaven. So, he went to the genius inventors that built Yggdrasil and they constructed a new arm and eye for him."

"Wow Skuld!" Belldandy admired. "That's exactly right! How did you know that?"

"Hild let Marler out of the crystal and Marler attacked while you two were away." Urd explained. "Anyway, Jeiko was able to drive her away with his arm cannon and we explained it to her. Now, being the little nerd she is, Skuld wants to study Jeiko's arm and make a more advanced one."

"HEY!" Skuld flared. "Who are you calling a nerd, Urd? You gave me the idea!"

While the two of them argued, Belldandy and Keiichi left, Suddenly the phone rang.

"I'll get that." Belldandy spoke picking up the phone. "Hello? Hmm? Yes she is, hold on!" She then called out. "Urd! It's for you!"

"Coming!" Urd answered. "Hello? Troubadour? What? You're coming here? Huh? Oh, no, no, no! No trouble at all! Hmm? Yes? Well okay, but only for awhile we're kinda busy. Yes we'll see you when you arrive. Goodbye!" She hung up the phone.

"This is bad." Urd spoke aloud. "This is very bad!"

"What's wrong Urd?" Belldandy asked.

"That was Troubadour on the phone, and he's on his way now!"

"What?" Belldandy gasped. "Oh no! If Troubadour sees..."

"Yeah." Urd nodded.

"What's going on guys?" Keiichi asked.

"Keiichi, Troubadour's coming to apologize to you for the misunderstanding!" Urd answered.

"Really?" Keiichi answered. "Well, that's good isn't it?"

"No it's not, you don't understand Keiichi!" Urd replied. "If Troubadour sees Jeiko, well, let me put it this way: You think you and Troubadour got off on the wrong foot? Trust me, that's preschool rivalry compared to Troubadour and Jeiko! Troubadour and Jeiko Sukaru know each other and HATE each other with a passion!"

"I see." Keiichi nodded. "Well then it's a good thing that Jeiko's not around then."

"But what if he?" Urd didn't get a chance to finish because the plum tree in their yard began to react and make a whirlwind of petal spin around to reveal Troubadour in his boastful appearance.

"Hello everyone." He spoke. "It's been awhile."

"Yes, yes, yes it has!" Urd nodded. "And we appreciate the visit, but we have a lot to do so why don't you just apologize to Keiichi and be on your way."

"Yes, I'm rather busy myself." Troubadour nodded as he extended his hand. "Keiichi, I hope that you will accept my apology for my..."

"I'm home!" A voice called out from the front. "Boy that sandwich sure was...Huh?"

The voice stopped as Troubadour looked to see Jeiko standing at the front gate of the temple.

"WHAT?!" Troubadour roared. "Jeiko Sukaru! What are YOU doing here? I thought you were imprisoned in that demon crystal! How did you escape?"

"Well, well, well! If it isn't 'Heaven's Village Idiot!'" Jeiko smirked. "It hasn't been long enough Troubadour! As for how I escaped, a few days ago I escaped due to a mistake on the demon's part. As for why I'm here, the Almighty One told me this is where I could find Lind."

"So THAT'S why she was so happy earlier!" Troubadour deduced. "I honestly don't have a clue what she sees in you! She's a high ranking Valkyrie warrior, while you're nothing but a weak boy!"

"Oh, yeah?" Jeiko smirked. "The other goddesses in the 'Jeiko's Goddess Fan Club?' would disagree with you there you tone deaf moron! Matter of fact, I think the only reason you don't like me is because all the ladies and goddesses like ME better than YOU!"

"WHAT?!" Troubadour roared outloud. "Why you arrogant punk! I'll teach you to disrespect me!"

"What's that? You wanna fight me you insect fool?" Jeiko flared charging his arm. "Well then bring it on!"


	6. Jeiko vs Troubadour

Jeiko vs Troubadour

After a brief argument, the two combatants charged at each other. All of a sudden, Belldandy stepped in between them separating them.

"Now, now, calm down you two." Belldandy spoke softly trying to be the voice of reason. "The war between man and demon is over now. As should all the old rivalries that came with it. Can't you two at least try to get along?"

"No way Belldandy!" Jeiko flared. "Not after what he did to me all those years ago!"

"That boy sure can carry a grudge..." Urd sighed. "Five hundred years and he still hasn't let go of that incident. Not that I blame him though."

"What did he do?" Keiichi asked.

"Well, apparently Troubadour got jealous of all the goddesses falling head-over-heels for Jeiko." Urd explained. "Once Troubadour saw me having a conversation with him. So he went to Earth and put a poisonous caterpillar from heaven into Jeiko's soup."

"What?!" Keiichi gasped. "Well, no wonder Jeiko hates Troubadour so much! He tried to kill him!"

"Yes." Urd nodded with disgust. "And he almost did too. You see, since that caterpillar was from heaven, there was no known cure on Earth for the venom after Jeiko swallowed it. Fortunately the Almighty One had planned ahead and had various antidote containment units for all kinds of Earthly, Demonic, and Divine poisons manufactured into that arm when it was built, and programmed to be able to sense such poisons in his body and give Jeiko the necessary cure. Oh, Jeiko was sick for many weeks, but thankfully Troubadour didn't kill him! All thanks to the Almighty One."

"Wow!" Keiichi admired. "Was Troubadour ever apprehended and punished for what he did?"

"Oh, yes!" Urd nodded. "Troubadour used to be a great warrior in service to the Almighty One, but because of what he did to Jeiko, the Almighty took that titli away from him."

"And THAT'S why I have to destroy you!" Troubadour flared angrily. "It's YOUR fault I can no longer fight for the Almighty One Jeiko Sukaru!"

"Oh, please bug-boy!" Jeiko sneered. "You have no one to blame but yourself! It was your mishap!" Jeiko then got a devilish smile. "Speaking of mishaps, you must be the biggest idiot under Yggdrasil Troubadour!"

Hearing this, Troubadour got all the more angrier. "You'd better watch yourself Sukaru! Who are you to say that to me?"

"Oh, gee, I dunno..." Jeiko smiled all the more devilishly. "Maybe a disembodied soul who was floating around this temple when Urd was explaining to the others about you leaving her to pursue some golden bird with a bad case laryngitis!"

"WHAT?!" Troubadour flared again knowing what Jeiko was referring to, "How dare you speak like that about my golden bird? It has the most beautiful singing voice in the universe!"

"Oh, give me a break!" Jeiko sneered. "That feather-brained monster couldn't carry a tune if Beethoven, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles, shoved the entire London Symphony Orchestra straight up it's ass! Neither could you for that matter!"

"Why you punk!" Troubadour flared. "You insult me along with my pet!"

"Oh, but there's more insect!" Jeiko mocked as both he and Troubadour pushed against Belldandy's arms holding the two of them back. "For instance, what kind of a man leads a lovely young woman to believe that he wants her back, only to break her heart when she finds out he just wants to use her for his own selfish reasons?"

"What are you talking about?" Troubadour growled. "I would never do something like that!"

"Could've fooled me!" Jeiko gritted out. "You broke Urd's heart just because you wanted to get a tear out of her eye to break a seal on a scroll!"

Hearing this, Urd hung her head low in sadness remembering that.

"How could you even be stupid enough to break up with woman of Urd's undeniable beauty in the first place?" Jeiko asked Troubadour getting Urd's attention and making a slight blush appear on her cheek. "This woman loved you once upon a time, and you were lucky to have her!" Jeiko then hissed out "But then you decided to leave her for your own selfishness. How could you do something like that to her you lowly disgusting WORM?!"

Troubadour stared menacingly at Jeiko's accusations. He never liked Jeiko, but this was even worse. Jeiko was disrespecting him in his eyes, but it wasn't just the insults that were most infuriating to Troubadour so much as the fact that Jeiko was right. Troubadour didn't want to admit it, but he knew he had broken Urd's heart on more than one occasion just as Jeiko said.

Then he turned to Jeiko and flared out, "What does that make you boy?" He asked trying to reverse the roles. "You promised Lind marrige but then you left her bedside in tears for 500 years waiting for you to return!"

"What?" Jeiko gasped as he froze.

"What?" The others repeated as they glowered their disdain at Troubadour.

"WHAT?!" The Almighty One roared angrily causing Heaven to shake with his sudden fury, knowing full well what was going on and hearing every word.

"Huh?" Peorth asked as her conversation with Lind was interrupted. "What's going on? Why is the Almighty One so angry?"

"I-I-I don't know Peorth..." Lind answered fearfully. "But I'm going to his chamber to find out!"

"Right." Peorth agreed as they jumped to the Almighty One's chamber.

For a few seconds, Jeiko stood in one place in shock. What Troubadour had just said really struck Jeiko's core. Then he turned to Troubadour and shuddered with unspent anger.

"That...wasn't...my...FAULT!" Jeiko raged as his tone of voice suddenly became very hostile. "I was imprisoned by demons against my will! I didn't abandon Lind!"

"Oh, yeah sure!" Troubadour sneered knowing he was getting under Jeiko's skin. "You probably were only placed in that prison because you were being punished for betraying Lind with another woman!"

Jeiko then began shuddering as he charged up his arm to the max. "Why you..." he quietly but angrily murmured. "you...you...you...YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Just then he clenched his mechanical arm causing three small chainsaws buzzing loudly to pop out of between his knuckles. Then he jerked his arm causing a big, massive, razor-sharp blade to unsheathe from his forearm. Lastly, a big metal spike appeared out of his elbow.

"I am going to cut you into ribbons for saying that Troubadour!" Jeiko yelled out.

"No, Jeiko!" Belldandy protested. "Look, I know you're angry about what troubadour just said, as am I, but I can't allow you to..."

Just then a big bolt of energy fell from the sky onto the ground where the others were standing. A small sentence of divine writing appeared on the ground where the blast hit. Skuld read it and then shuddered.

"What's wrong Skuld?" Belldandy asked. "What is the Almighty One's message?"

Skuld stood in shock for a few minutes and turned to Belldandy and answered, "That was for you Big Sis..." She studdered. "It says, 'Belldandy, let then fight.'"

Belldandy gasped at that, but then nodded sadly and stepped aside to let two of her friends fight each other. With that, Jeiko and Troubadour lunged at each other and engaged in combat.

Finally reaching the Almighty One's chamber, Lind and Peorth entered and went to him.

"My lord, what is wrong?" Lind asked.

"See for yourself." The Almighty replied showing an image of Jeiko lunging at Troubadour with an arm chop using the massive blade in his arm and seeing Troubadour deflect with his sword.

"What the?" Lind asked. "Why are Jeiko and Troubadour fighting each other? And why does Jeiko look so angry? I know he hates Troubadour and all, but I haven't seen him like this since the time some perverted old monk touched my left breast!"

"This is why Lind." The Almighty One answered showing Lind an image of the recent past.

Back on Earth, the two warriors clashed as their respective blades collided. Then Jeiko broke the clash and lunged with a punch with his chainsaw-claws. Troubadour dodged in time, but that gave Jeiko a chance to turn his arm so that the spike on his elbow could make contact with Troubadour's face leaving a deep deep in his left cheek.

"Arrghhh!" Troubadour cried staggering back as Jeiko unsheathed his claws and opened his hand to reveal a small hole in his palm through which a tube popped out unleashing a massive spray of fire at Troubadour. Skuld looked in amazement.

"Wow! Those inventors thought of everything didn't they?" She admired. "A massive energy cannon, immunity to disease and poison, chainsaw Wolverine claws, a giant forearm blade, a stealth-spike in his elbow, and now a flamethrower? No wonder demonkind was afraid of him during the Feudal Era. What else is there to see?"

"Oh, much more!" Urd nodded watching as Troubadour slowly recovered from the fiery onslaught Jeiko subjected him to until the flamethrower's fuel ran out.

"Um, why isn't Jeiko using that arm cannon he used on Marler?" Skuld asked curiously.

"Because it hasn't recharged yet." Urd answered. "You see he only has one shot with that every few hours, and even if it was charged he only uses it if his opponent doesn't see it coming. While powerful, that cannon isn't very accurate. So even if Jeiko could use it, Troubadour would see it coming and be able to dodge it."

"Well that's a major inconvenience." Skuld spoke.

"Shhh! Just sit back and enjoy the show!" Urd shushed her.

"Urd!" Belldandy protested. "How can you enjoy this? Our friends are fighting each other and Jeiko's mortal! If he loses, Troubadour will kill him!"

"Not a chance!" Urd answered. "This is Jeiko we're talking about here! Trained by samurai, ninjas, knights, gods, Valkyries, and even demons who didn't share the beliefs of my mother! With all that training, and that powerful arm, what chance does Troubadour have against Jeiko?"

Turning their attention back to the fight, they all watched as Jeiko once again clenched his fist into a ball and watched several spikes appear all over his fist. Then his fist fell off his wrist to show the others that it was attached to a long chain. Jeiko then grabbed the chain with his other hand and began twirling the spiked fist and chain and hurling it at Troubadour's sword knocking it out of his hand. Then he swung the fist at Troubadour's gut and hit right on the button knocking the wind out of him He then recalled the chain and reattached the hand back to his wrist and ran to Troubadour about to finish him off with a knockout punch. But just as he was about to deliver it, his elbow stuck thus killing off much of the momentum intended int the throw.

"What?" Jeiko gasped then groaned. "Aw, damn it! This figures! It's been five hundred years since my arm's been lubricated!"

"Lubricated?" Keiichi asked. "How did he lubricate that thing without oil? What did he use?"

"In the Feudal Era you mean?" Belldandy asked getting a nod from Keiichi. "Yak butter. He'd let it soak for an hour in melted yak butter."

"Oh!" Keiichi replied.

Jeiko then flared that he lost the use of the weapons in his hand and recalled his chain because he could still use his spiked fist. But as he was distracted, Troubadour delivered a good solid punch to Jeiko's face and began punching him over and over.

"HA! Now I have the advantage Jeiko Sukaru!" he grinned as he lay blow after blow to Jeiko's face and body.

Elsewhere in heaven, Lind had just finished seeing the argument Jeiko had with Troubadour before they fought. She cringed.

"Why that miserable womanizing asshole!" She shuddered. "I want to see the rest of this fight."

"Very well." The Almighty One answered showing the fight. She saw Jeiko run over to a weakened Troubadour and about to deliver a knockout punch when she saw his arm stop.

"What?" she heard Jeiko gasp then groan. "Aw, damn it! This figures! It's been five hundred years since my arm's been lubricated!"

"What?" Lind gasped knowing that that wasn't good news. Then she watched the ongoing assault of punches to Jeiko's helpless body.

On Earth, Jeiko was struggling to get to his feet after the assault given to him by Troubadour. Troubadour laughed in amusement.

"Come on! Get up boy!" Troubadour mocked. "Get up so I can knock you back down!"

Jeiko got to his feet, his handsome face now covered in black eyes, various bruises, a bloodied lip, and nose. He looked a mess, yet still he looked into Troubadour's eyes and replied weakly, "You...haven't...won...yet!"

Troubadour smiled at that and delivered a massive punch to Jeiko's jaw but Jeiko then made a big shield appear from his arm and block the punch sending a jolt of pain through Troubadour's fist. Then he delivered a punch of his own with his left hand that wasn't stuck and sent Troubadour staggering to the ground. Picking his helpless body up, Jeiko then brought his combat arm to Troubadour's gut and then his arm began to glow and pulsated with energy.

"What?" Urd gasped knowing what was on Jeiko's mind. "No way! Jeiko, have you lost it! You've only tested that techinique! You've never actually USED the Thor-Hammer Uppercut!"

Jeiko then smiled and replied, "Today's a good day!" He then arched his arm behind his back and prepared to release.

"Warning! Warning!" A female mechanical voice sounded out. "Combat arm overheated."

"What?" Jeiko gasped. "Aw, damn it! Not now!"

"Shutting down..." the voice answered.

"Oh no!" Jeiko shouted as his arm went limp and pulled him to the ground.

"What the?" Keiichi gasped. "What just happened? Why did Jeiko fall to the ground?"

"His arm overhead and shut down." Urd grumbled. "Without power to keep that arm up, it's basically just dead weight now."

Troubadour, seeing his opponent tugging on the massive weight that was his arm, then retaliated with the strong punch Jeiko's shield denied him earlier knocking Jeiko out and sending him reeling to the ground.

Laughing at Jeiko knocked out, Troubadour slowly and gleefully went to retrieve his sword. Picking it up, he walked back to Jeiko's prone and helpless body and began chanting his Bug-Summoning Song to insure that Jeiko wouldn't get back up. Then he raised his sword above his head and sneered out, "Farewell, Jeiko Sukaru!"

He then swung his sword down about to send poor Jeiko to his death when all of a sudden his sword made huge clanging sound.

"What?" Troubadour asked not really paying attention in his glee as he looked at what his sword had hit. Then his mouth popped open in horror seeing that all-too-familiar black and silver axehead attached to a really long pole. Shuddering he slowly looked up to see the furiously hostile look in the eyes of a majorly pissed-off blue-haired Valkyrie glowering at him.

He then let out a gasp as Lind angrily swung her poleaxe so that the axe-blade smashed upon the blade of Troubadour's sword shattering it into a million pieces. Then she brought the spear tip to Troubadour's throat and growled, "Get out of here, NOW!"

Nodding fearfully, Troubadour then backed away as Lind continued, "If you ever try to kill Jeiko again Troubadour, I swear to the Almighty One I'll kill you!"

Turning white at this proclamation, Troubadour gulped and slowly flew back to heaven. Lind then knelt beside her beloved.

"Lind," Urd asked. "Is Jeiko going to be alright?"

Lind picked up Jeiko's head and rested it on her lap and tenderly stoked his cheek.

"He'll be alright." She murmured. "I'm here now, so everything will be alright." She then picked Jeiko off the ground and carried him inside. "He just needs some rest."

With that, Lind walked away carrying Jeiko in her arms as the other's looked in amazement.

"Wow." Skuld gasped reviewing the damage done to the temple-grounds. "Now THAT was intense!"


	7. Spoils of Defeat

Spoils of Defeat

Troubadour had left the realm of the Earth and was now at the gates of Heaven. He thought of the battle he just had with Jeiko and a wicked smile of triumph issued upon his face. He had beaten the boy that had been a thorn in his side for many years in a fair fight, and an arrogant glee was building up inside of him.

"Yes!" He shouted to himself. "Finally, after years of ridicule I have proven that I am superior to that little prick Jeiko Sukaru! He gave me everything he had, and yet I knocked him out and left him a helpless mass at my feet! Of course if Lind hadn't had shown up, I would've made that arrogant boy die as he deserves to!"

As this thought ran through the arrogant plum tree spirit's head it brought a scowl to his lips.

"Honestly! Why does our honored captain of the Valkyries see in Jeiko? Why has she always protected him when he's in danger? Lind is a beautiful, strong, and independent goddess of strong moral character. Jeiko's nothing but an arrogant childish little boy!" As this question popped into Troubadour's mind, his victory brought on another thought. "No to mention he's weak! He needs a machine to fight, there's not one inch of genuine flesh in his right arm! How Lind could fall for him? What could ANY woman see in Jeiko Sukaru I'd like to know? Especially when they could have me!"

But then, as if on cue, the gates of Heaven opened for Troubadour and he was greeted by a mob of angry goddesses staring down furiously at him. Including a few Valkyries arms with amazing weapons. Troubadour looked in confusion.

"Uh, hello ladies." He began nervously. "W-w-where's the fire?"

Then the goddesses removed their outerwear to reveal that under their garments they were wearing T-Shirts that all read "Jeiko's Goddess Fan Club" on the chest area. Troubadour looked in fear.

"Um, ladies, I-I-I can explain..." He studdered.

Then the group spilt to reveal Peorth at the head of the mob with the angriest look on her face.

"There's nothing to say Troubadour!" She spat angrily.

"You attempted to terminated our beloved Jeiko Sukaru!" One beautiful goddess spat.

"Did you think we weren't going to find out about it?" A Valkyrie asked rhetorically.

As Troubadour looked in growin fear of all these angry goddesses all staring at him with menacing expressions on their face, beads of sweat began falling from his brow. He got on his knees and opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced as Peorth beat him to it.

"And then after all the trouble you caused, you come back and brag about trying to kill Jeiko Sukaru?" She asked disgustedly.

"And you ask why any ladies would rather be with him than with you?" Another goddess spoke.

"Well here's you answer," Another replied. "Honor. Jeiko has honor, a sense of duty, humility, strength of the heart, devotion, among other things you don't have Troubadour!"

"And that appeals to most of us. You and your arrogant pride disgust us!" Another Valkyrie finished.

"But like we said, you trying to kill Jeiko was a major no-no for us!" Peorth smirked as magical power charged into her hands. "And as such, we've decided to punish you big-time for it!"

All the goddesses then conjured up their powers and stared at a staggering Troubadour. He looked from side to side and then turned around and began running.

"GET HIM!" Peorth cried.

Meanwhile back on Earth, Lind had just entered Jeiko's room in the temple. She set him down on his mattress and knelt beside him. She looked in despair.

"Oh, Jeiko, my love." She spoke softly. "I'm sorry. I should've waited to go back to Heaven until you were truly ready to fight again. I should've gotten you back into trainind and made sure your arm was at a hundred percent."

As the thought of Jeiko's arm issued in her mind, she knew that Jeiko needed all the energy in him right now and didn't need the massive dead weight that was attached to the stump on his right arm. With that thought in mind, she rolled up Jeiko's sleeve until she got to the metal disk above his elbow where the latch that kept his metal arm attached to Jeiko's right forearm and Central Nervous System was located. She found a small dial and turned it. Just then a few clicking noises were heard and the metal arm detached itself from Jeiko's arm.

With a small twist to unscrew the final attachment, Lind gently removed the arm. Sure to Jeiko it weighed a ton or two, but to her it was as light as a feather.

Just then, a voice was heard outside the door. "Hey, Lind." Skuld's tiny voice broke in. "Has Jeiko recovered yet?"

"No Skuld, he hasn't." Lind sighed. "I was just removing his arm to conserve his energy and remove excess weight from him."

"Oh, really?" Skuld squealed excitedly. "Can I borrow it for now? I want to study it to make a better one for more advanced demons in the future."

"That's actually a good idea." Lind nodded as she opened the door and handed Skuld the arm. "Here. Oh! And you might want to study this too. Hold on."

She then knelt beside Jeiko's unconscious body and brought her fingers to his eyebrow. She then pinched in and began pulling on it. Skuld looked in amazement as the eyebrow began to stretch and pull off revealing to Skuld it was just a piece of plaster and fake hair. Underneath which was a metal tube with some small lights and a white button where sure enough a fake eyeball was attached.

Lind pressed the button and a whirring noise from inside the tube was heard as the tube grew slightly wider and the eye pressed out a bit. Lind carefullu grabbed the eye and pulled it out of the tube to show to Skuld there was a wire on the back of the eye attached to the back of the fake eyesocket. Lind gave a gentle tug and the wire disconnected itself from the socket.

She then took a hankerchief and wiped the eye a little and handed it to Skuld.

"Here, study this too while you're at it." She spoke.

With a nod Skuld eagerly took the eye only ro recoil in disgust.

"Eww! What is this clear slimy stuff all over it?" She spoke in a shocked and disgusted voice.

"Oh, grow up!" Lind grumbled. "It's just petroleum jelly. It lets the eye move freely."

With another groan, Skuld left the room leaving Lind alone with Jeiko again. She then cupped her left hand and began stroking Jeiko's right cheek. Then with her right hand she began running her fingers through his long chocolate-brown hair.

"Jeiko, oh, Jeiko." Lind spoke as a tear fell down her eye. "To see you like this is heartbreaking for me. In my youth, you were the only one who cared for me. The only person I was comfortable talking to was you. As we grew and fell in love with each other, I was happy. For many years I believe I was happier on Earth with you then in Heaven with my own kind."

Outside the door, Belldandy and Keiichi were walking and heard Lind from behind the walls. Keiichi smiled.

"She sounds a lot like you Belldandy." Keiichi chuckled.

"Yes," Belldandy nodded. "Jeiko means just as much to Lind as you do to me Keiichi."

At this the two lovebirds quickly grabbed hold of each other and kissed deeply and more passionately than before when Jeiko had helped them. As Keiichi tightly wrapped his arms around the body of the goddess he loved so dearly and smiled as she returned the gesture, Lind completely aware of the activity outside smiled a sad smile.

"Just like we used to be." She whispered. "Belldandy and Keiichi are just like you and me Jeiko."

"No." A voice raped out. "Not quite."

"Huh?" Lind gasped as she saw Jeiko stirring a bit as he cracked open his eyes a bit. "Jeiko? JEIKO!" She then picked him up and held onto him like she would never let go, and it was an embrace he returned despite his weariness.

"Belldandy and Keiichi are indeed similar to us." Jeiko coughed out into Lind's ear. "But they haven't endured the pain of extended separation like you and I have Lind." He then turned to the silhouettes of the two now on the floor making out with Keiichi on top of Belldandy as a sad smile spread across his face. "And I hope they never do."

"Neither do I." Lind nodded. "I couldn't bear to see one of my friends go through the sma grief I have."

"Yes." Jeiko spoke. "We have waited so long."

"We have." Lind agreed. Then she reached behind her back and grabbed at something. As Jeiko looked in confusion, Lind spoke in a whisper. "In fact, speaking of waiting, you told me to wait on something else long before you were out in that prison for five hundred years."

Jeiko's eyes furrowed in deeper confusion then went wide in surprise as the hand behind Lind's back began to slide down as a slow, quiet, zipping noise was heard and her uniform began to loosen. Lind then got up to her feet and smiled down at Jeiko as a seductive look appeared on her gorgeous face and as she undid a few buttons on the front of her unifrom top.

"Well, five hundred years? I think I've waited long enough!" Lind spoke. Then she arched her arms behind her back causing the top of her uniform to fall to the floor revealing to Jeiko that she was wearing a sky-blue lace bra, that matched her hair perfectly, over her gorgeous C-cup breasts.

But Lind wasn't done yet. She then reached for two more zippers on the sides of her hips and began pulling them down as well. In a matter of a few seconds, Lind pants came undone and they too fell to the floor revealing a pair of sky-blue lace panties.

Lind smiled all the more at the scared, yet excited look on Jeiko's face. He had never seen her like this before, even before he was imprisoned. So this was very strange to him. But Lind also knew that she had dreamed of this and nothing was going to take this moment away from her.

She then gave Jeiko her hand and helped him to his feet. After he was on his feet, she grabbed the black sash holding up his olive-green kimono. She untied the knot and threw the sash aside. Then she grabbed the other sash holding up Jeiko's hakama and undid those as well. She then slowly grabed his sleeve and walked aroud him slowly removing the robe until it was stripped off his body.

She then went to Jeiko's front again and looked into his eyes. Through mere eye-contact, Jeiko knew she wanted him to finish and drop his pants to the floor. He spoke.

"Are you sure about this Lind?" He whispered. "Can you make love to a man with a hollow metal tube in his eye socket and a stump attached to his right arm?"

Lind looked at the man she loved and smiled, "Only if the reason for that is as brave as the reason for that is for you Jeiko. When I wasn't around, you were escorting three small children to their home village. But then you were ambushed by twenty demons. You stood alone against them, risking life and losing limb and eye to nobly protect those children."

She then wrapped her arms around Jeiko's waist, "When I look into artificial eye-socket, I see not emptiness, I see the eye of love looking back into my own eyes. When I see that stump attached to your shoulder, it reminds me of all you are willing to do to protect others in the name of honor."

Lind then grabbed the back of Jeiko's head and whispered, "And that's why I love you Jeiko Sukaru."

Jeiko smiled as he dropped his pants and pulled Lind's half-naked body down to his mattress as they cuddled and fondled each other in a loving make-out session. After a minute or so, Lind reached behind her back to unfasten the straps to her bra. As soon as she had hold of the latch, she unfastened it and tossed it aside revealing her beautiful naked breasts to Jeiko.

In a moment of passion, Jeiko replied to this by burying his face in Lind's voluptous breasts kissing them while his left hand reach down and grabbed her sky-blue panties and pulled them down as he began massaging her sliky thighs and buttocks.

Giggling at the gesture, Lind began kissing Jeiko's strong toned chest and they continued the entire night.

Elsewhere, in another part of the temple, another set of ears was listening in. A smile appearing on the face they belonged to.

"Well, Jeiko, all I can say is, 'It's about time!'" Urd giggled. "I mean, seriously! Whoever heard of a five-hundred year old virgin?"


	8. Jeiko's Old Friend and New Friend

Jeiko's Old Friend and New Friend

The next morning, Jeiko woke to the pleasant greeting of his fully naked fiancee lying asleep next to him. He smiled as thoughts of last night returned to him, not only those of sexual pleasure, but of love and trust. The mere fact that Lind could make love to a one-armed, one-eyed man such as himself brought him great pleasure.

He also noticed he wasn't all that hungry, but that was no surprise. Considering his arm that burned a lot of energy from him when it was attached wasn't attached to him, he didn't feel as hungry as usual.

But he did know it had been awhile since he last trained. So with that thought in mind, he put his clothes back on and left. He thought about waking Lind up and joining him, but he figured he'd let her sleep a little more. After all, Lind knew Jeiko was devoted to his training. If he wasn't at her side on a calm day like this, he was either eating or training.

He then snuck out of the house and went into the courtyard. It was then he realized he didn't have his melee weapons on him. He knew that weapons training was part of his routine, so he'd have to go out and buy some proper melee training weapons. But he knew that he didn't want to go out in public with one arm and eye.

So he snuck into Skuld's room where he knew his arm and eye were. Moving with ninja stealth, he reattached his arm and inserted his eye in the socket. Then he grabbed the plaster eye covering and reattached it to the frame of his eye. He then left a note telling Skuld he was taking his arm and eye to do a few errands.

As he turned to leave, he then spotted some blueprints and calculations regarding the new arm Skuld was planning on working on. But even though Lind had taught him to read Divine literature, this was very advanced technology that Jeiko didn't understand. But he trusted Skuld knew what she was doing and left it at that. He then snuck out of the house again and pressed a button on his wrist.

He waited for a few seconds, when all of a sudden a vortex appeared out of nowhere. From the vortex a black speck appeared in the center that rapidly got bigger and bigger until it took on the shape of a pure black stallion with huge raven wings appeared. Jeiko smiled as the image of his old battle companion that he had earned the trust of about five years before his imprisonment had at last returned after all this time.

The horse then began stomping wildly and whinnying madly, to which Jeiko grabbed its mane gently and whispered into its ear.

"Shh! Shh! Shh! Shhhhh! Shrouda it's me, Jeiko. It's okay! Steady girl...steady...shhhh..." He quietly whispered and eventually calmed the horse down.

"That's my girl, always coming here from your other dimensional world whenever I call you." Jeiko calmly spoke. "You couldn't forget me Shrouda even after five-hundred years. Not after all we've done together. Especially after I freed you from that horrible place where they took your kind and used methods of torture to turn the gentle Sacred Steeds into weapons of war in order to exploit the advantage of the fact your kind is immortal."

A sad noise escaped Shrouda as the memories of that resurfaced. She owed Jeiko her life considering that the keepers of that place had found a way to extract the immortal essence from so many of her kind that dared disobey and then they would slaughter and eat them in front of her and the other Steeds.

"Yes, I know." Jeiko spoke sympathetically knowing what was on her mind as he stroked and patted the side of her neck. "Oh, I've missed you old girl."

Shrouda then nuzzled her friend's head and licke his face to express how much she missed him as well.

"Easy!" Jeiko giggled. Then he reached into his kimono pocket and pulled out some sugar cubes. "Good thing sugar never ages over time."

As Shrouda happily ate the sugar cubes, Jeiko reached into the folds of his kimono where he kept a satchel full of gold coins. He then lept on the back of his friend and spoke out.

"Fly, Shrouda, fly! Let our reunion be as blissful as this beautiful Autumn morning!"

With that, Shrouda spread her massive wings and lept into the air. With a cry of joy, Jeiko held tightly as they flew over all of Nekomi. Normally he would only use his horse to take care of business, but since this was a reunion he wanted to fly as far as time would allow. So they went joy-riding all overhead of Japan.

Thankfully thanks to Shrouda's magical powers, they were completely invisible to people overhead. But Jeiko knew that soon, everyone would be up. So he took Shrouda down to an area that contained a swords shop that made relatively good blades.

As soon as Shrouda had landed, Jeiko went inside the shop. Once inside, he felt calm as if a part of the past was actually in this shop.

"Ah! Greetings stranger!" An old man who ran the shop greeted. "How may I help you?"

Smiling pleasantly that the elderly still maintained their pleasant attitudes even after five-hundred years, Jeiko turned to the kind old man and said. "I am interested in buying your two finest katana. And I'm also in the mood for a fine bo staff."

"You've come to the right place my boy!" The old man spoke. "Here, why don't I show you what I have..." Just then the old man began coughing profusely.

"Hey, are you alright old man?" Jeiko asked worriedly. But the only answer he got was additional coughing. He then raised his fake eyebrow activating a function of his eye that allowed him to scan a person's body and detect physical abnormalities. After a brief scan, he realized the man was sick with a cold that would be very dngerous for a man his age.

"Sorry, I've had this strange condition for quite sometime now." The old man spoke sadly after he recovered.

"Well then why haven't you seen a doctor?" Jeiko asked.

"Can't afford it." The old man replied. "I have no insurance, and business is so slow in my shop I barely make enough money to eat."

Jeiko looked at the old man with sympathy. One thing he hated was that those that needed help the most were the ones that couldn't afford it. Just then he got an idea as he pulled out his satchel.

"Look old man," He began. "Forget the sword, you need help." He then opened the satchel and poured out a bunch of gold and silver coins and a few gemstones as well. The old man looked in surprise and confusion at Jeiko.

"Take it." Jeiko spoke. "I don't need it. You have more need of it all than I ever will."

"B-b-but..." The old man began to protest before Jeiko held his hand to his face.

"Shush. You are very sick and need to see a doctor immediately. Take the money, trasnfer it all to a place that trades this stuff for money, and go to the doctor." Jeiko spoke sternly but gently.

The old man looked in confusion and then smiled.

"If only there were more young people like you these days." He smiled. "Just the other day, a group of hoodlums your age robbed me at point-blank."

"Really?" Jeiko gasped. "You know, no disrespect intended old man, but you really shouldn't be working alone in a place like this at your age."

"Don't I know it?" The old man agreed. "But unfortunately, I have no one to help me around here."

Jeiko looked at the old man and with a look of confidence he declared, "Well no longer my new friend! I'll stay here and help you watch the shop if you want."

"Really?" The old man spoke with a look of relief. "I would appreciate that, but you sure you want to help an old man work in a place like this?"

"Of course I'm sure." Jeiko nodded. "I feel like I truly belong here, and I'm familiar with all the weapons you have here. I was trained by the best of all time."

"You sound like it!" The old man laughed. "Very well, I'll give you a job. I could use a young strong man like you helping me about."

"Well, if that settles it, perhaps we should know each other a little better." Jeiko spoke. "I guess we should start with an introduction."

"Yes," The old man nodded. "My name is Ruka Timano. What is yours?"

"My name is Sukaru, Jeiko Sukaru." Jeiko replied.

At this name was said, the old man gasped and then laughed and spoke, "You know son, has anybody ever told you that you have the same name as the old Feudal Era hero also known as 'The Fist of Iron?'"

As the fond memories of that nickname back in the old days flooded Jeiko's mind, he replied, "Yeah, I get that a lot."

After the two had their conversation, Jeiko turned to leave the store when Ruka stopped him.

"Wait! One moment Jeiko Sukaru!"

"Yes?"

"My father gave me something before he died, he claimed it belonged to the great Jeiko Sukaru of the Feudal Era."

Gasping as this though ran its way into Jeiko's head, he then nervously replied. "R-r-really? What is it?"

Ruka then pulled out something wrapped in a cloth, he then spoke again.

"My father told me that if I were to have no children of my own, then only the most generous person I ever met would get this." He then looked at Jeiko. "And considering I don't, I think this belongs to you."

He then unwrapped the cloth to reveal a well crafted sword underneath it. Jeiko the looked at the sword and froze.

"What? But this...but this is...it...it can't be!"

Ruka then looked at Jeiko in surprise at his reaction.

"What is it my boy?" He asked puzzled.

Jeiko froze for a moment, and then looked up "Ruka, you're right. This blade does belong to me! But not in the way you think."

"What do you mean?" Ruka asked.

"Ruka, the stories your father told, did any of them involve Jeiko getting trapped in a crystal and locked away?" Jeiko asked.

"Y-y-yes, in fact he said that one day Jeiko Sukaru would return to the world and save it from a demon war." Ruka replied. "But I don't understand, how do you know that?"

Jeiko then looked at Ruka and spoke, "Ruka, please give me your word that you will not reveal what I am about to show you to anyone."

"Huh?" Ruka asked.

"Give me your word Ruka!" Jeiko repeated sternly.

"Um, okay. What is it you want to show me?"

Using his eye to detect dishonesty in Ruka's bodily fuctions, but coming up with nothing. Jeiko then deactivated the holographic camoflauge on his arm to reveal his metal arm to Ruka. Ruka gasped in surprise as Jeiko smiled at him.

"What? B-b-b-but that's impossible!" Ruka gasped. "You mean...you are?"

"Yes Ruka." Jeiko nodded. "I am the great Fist of Iron himself! I am Jeiko Sukaru of the Feudal Era!"


	9. Family Heirlooms

Family Heirlooms

Ruka looked at Jeiko in amazement. He had just heard Jeiko tell his entire life story to him and he was bewildered. This boy really was his childhood hero, and that was a lot to take in. He watched as Jeiko unsheathed the sword offered to him.

"So Jeiko," Ruka began. "What is this sword to you exactly?"

"It was my sister's." Jeiko explained. "I took it after she died."

"Well what is it? And what does it do?" Ruka wondered.

"It's a very special sword made of an extinct metal that is deadly to demons. Heck, even a mere prick of the finger by the tip of this sword to a demon's body can subject him to pain so severe, it can make a demon wish he/she were dead." Jeiko explained. "You see, centuries before I was born, there were many swords made of this metal to help against the war against demonkind. But the problem was they were made very hastily because the relentless assaults of demons gave little time to make proper swords. So while they were effective, at the same time they were incredibly weak. Eventually demons started wearing armor and developing weapons that could easily break these swords. This of course led to more mining a processing of the metal used to make them as the years went by until my sister became of age. Then there was only enough to make one last blade. But unlike the others, this blade had to be properly forged so as to prevent additional destruction. So expert katana makers worked in secrecy for nearly two years hammering and processing this blade until it was complete."

"And they gave it to your sister?" Ruka asked.

"Yes." Jeiko nodded. "You see my friend, my father was the greatest demon killer in my village when I was a child. And as such my sister was his number one student in combat at the time and was supposed to inherit my father's power sword. But it could only be handed down after he died, so he decided that since he already had a powerful sword that this one should go to my sister as a beginner's sword until she was ready to inherit our father's."

"Was she any good with it?" Ruka wondered.

"Oh, she was INCREDIBLE!" Jeiko exclaimed. "Before our father died, she was unstoppable with this sword! Demons would come and mock the sword thinking that since they had immunities to the metal that they were in no danger. But boy, were they wrong! Because this blade wasn't made hastily it was much stronger than its forebears. Add that to the awesome skills our father taught her, and demons would be butchered like cattle!"

As Ruka listened in awe, Jeiko continued, "Eventually after our father died and she inherited his blade and now fought with two powerful swords she became a more powerful and famous warrior than my own father!"

Then Jeiko's excited look turned dismal as he sadly sighed, "But shortly after that, a mind-control demon forced my warrior sister and my sorceress mother to fight each other to the death. Despite all the power my sister and mother possessed, this demon was more powerful and he forced them to..."

But Jeiko could say no more as tears poured from his eyes. Ruka went over to him and said, "I see, so after you sister died, you took her blade because you were the last of your family line."

Jeiko then recovered and nodded, "Yeah. And I also took my father's sword which contains many powers I don't even understand. The only things I know how to do with it are some basic power attacks and one major attack. The last thing I took was my mother's power ring. It contains an energy shield, a fire beam attack, it can generate lightning, it enhances my natural strength, and it allows me to control metal."

"Well where are your father's sword and your mother's ring?" Ruka asked. "You've got your sister's sword, now perhaps you should find the other weapons."

"I already have my mother's ring." Jeiko spoke deactivating the camouflage on his hand revealing to Ruka that he was indeed wearing a ring around his right middle finger. It was a silver band with a multicolored stone in the center.

"As for my father's sword," Jeiko began. "When the gods gave me my power arm, I became so powerful that whenever I unsheathed it, the Earth would shake and the ground would split where I stood. Eventually, my attacks became so intense that I began to fear my own power. So I decided to do something about it. I locked my father's sword away in a cave on a holy mountain where no one would ever find it, but only I knew of its location just in case I ever had need of its power again."

"Wow!" Ruka admired. "And I thought your arm was your only weapon."

"Oh, no." Jeiko chuckled. "In fact, believe it or not, I hardly ever used my arms attacks in the Feudal Era because I knew the world would never understand it. Only when I would encounter a demon or being too powerful for physical combat would I use the power of my cyber-prosthetic arm."

"Oh, well that makes since." Ruka nodded.

"In fact, it's very important to me to stay true to my heritage." Jeiko spoke. "That's why I train everyday with my blades, my staves, my chains, and all my weapons and combat skills."

Ruka looked in amazement and then said, "Well then. I think I have an idea."

Jeiko looked in surprise. "Huh?"

Ruka smiled and said, "Jeiko, my boy, for a very long time I've been trying to move into a retirement house so that I may enjoy the rest of my old age. But you see, I never had the money to do so. So I've been living in a quaint two-person upstairs apartment just above this weapons shop for so long. But thanks to your generous donation of gold, silver, and gems, I can move into a nice retirement home and get medical attention there."

"Glad I could help," Jeiko began. "But why are you telling me this?"

"Because someone needs to look after these weapons." Ruka replied. "Someone who will love them, appreciates them,and will take good care of them. Jeiko, I'm going to give my shop and my upstairs apartment to you."

"What?" Jeiko spoke. "But-but-but..."

"No 'buts!'" Ruka spoke sternly. "My mind is made up, and I have a reputation for being a stubborn old man! So therefore, I insist!"

"Well thank you!" Jeiko smiled. "Thank you very much! Now my fiancée and I won't have to bunk in that temple with all those others."

"Well then, why don't you bring her here so that you two can move in?" Ruka asked.

"You know, I'll do just that!" Jeiko nodded as he ran out the door. "Shrouda! Back to the temple old girl!" He called as his raven-winged stallion appeared and he leapt onto her back as they flew off towards the temple.

Meanwhile back at the temple, Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld were sitting at the table wondering where Jeiko was. Keiichi and Lind had not yet awakened and as such weren't at the table yet, Skuld was getting impatient because she had woken up to see Jeiko's arm missing, replaced by a letter stating he had taken it. So without Jeiko's arm and eye to study, she couldn't continue building the new model.

As for Urd, she was doing everything in her power not to giggle knowing all that she had heard last night concerning both her sister and Keiichi's passionate make-out session in addition to Lind's taking of Jeiko's virginity.

Just then, a sweaty, breathless, and very happy Lind dressed in a lavender colored bathrobe entered the room. "Morning you guys!" She proclaimed happily as she skipped over to the refrigerator eyeing a pitcher of orange juice. Thirsty from all the energy spent having hot, sweaty, and passionate sex with the man she loved, she grabbed the entire pitcher and began chugging the contents like there was no tomorrow. As Skuld and Belldandy watched in astonishment at this unusually primal and cheerful behavior, Urd smiled all the more knowing what all prompted this.

After Lind was done, the pitcher was empty. "Ahhh!" She sighed. "I needed that!" Then she turned to her friends looking dumbstruck and her and she asked, "What?"

Belldandy was the first to speak. "Lind, how unlike you! I-I-I've never seen you like this before!"

"Well my dear sister," Urd began. "You of all people should know that even goddesses behave strangely when they're in love."

Lind smiled at hearing this and in a very cheerful mood replied, "You're right Urd. In fact I haven't been so unbelievably happy in centuries!" Then she looked around and asked, "Hey, where are Jeiko and Keiichi?"

"Keiichi's still asleep." Skuld answered. "As for Jeiko, he left and took his arm saying he was going to buy some training weapons to get back in fighting shape."

Lind smiled, "That's my lover! When he's not eating, or making me feel so tenderly loved, he's always training."

"Yeah, but now I can't get back to work on the arm and eye!" Skuld complained. "How am I supposed to build them if I don't have..."

"Jeiko will be home soon Skuld." Belldandy spoke in. "You can get back to work on it later. But for now, we wait for the boys so that we can enjoy a nice quiet breakfast as a family."

"Belldandy's right." Lind agreed. "Don't worry Skuld, I'm sure Jeiko will be back soon."

Just then, Lind heard the all-too-familiar whinnying of a horse echoing through the air as a smile perched on her lovely face. "In fact, he's just come back." She then left the kitchen to greet her loving fiancée.

Jeiko landed Shrouda somewhere private near the temple so that he could send her back to her home to rest until he needed her again. After that was done, he began to slowly walk back when all of a sudden, a chill ran down his spine. Turning around slowly, he looked and saw Peorth and a bunch of goddesses all wearing a particular t-shirt that he knew all too well. All of them were looking at him with hearts floating around their heads and giving him the eyes.

"Uh-oh!" Jeiko thought to himself with a gulp. He then cleared his throat and nervously spoke "Um, h-h-hi...um, Peorth. H-h-hello...ladies?"

As they were acknowledged, the goddesses all smiled and in unison they all seductively answered, "HI, JEIKO SUKARU!"

Peorth then smiled and said, "Girls we've been waiting 500 hundred years for this. So..."

"LET'S GET HIM!" The girls all cried as they wen to stampede Jeiko.

"OH-NOOOO!" Jeiko cried as he ran ahead. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

He ran until he reached the top of the temple stairs when all his fan-girls caught up to him and dragged him the ground in a massive dogpile. At the same time, Lind had come out and was greeted by the sight of over a dozen lovely goddesses piled on top of her beloved Jeiko Sukaru. She shook her head as she looked to see Jeiko's head peeking out from under the pile of girls as he croaked out, "L...Lind...h-h-help...help...me..."


End file.
